Segmented, ball jointed support

• US 6,352,227 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarence Eduard Hathaway
• Original Assignee: Clarence Eduard Hathaway
• Inventors: Hathaway, Clarence Eduard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US09/589,843
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 248/160, 248/278.1, 248/288.31, 248/288.51, 248/104, 403/144, 403/138, 403/56
• US Class Current: 248/160
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2078 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/40 by means of coilable or bendable legs or spiral shaped legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/065 with a special structure, e.g. reinforced or adapted for space reduction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/29 employing universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/32 Flexible tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32032 Plural ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32811 Spring-biased

Abstract

A segmented, ball jointed support, which is an improvement over other support devices which make use of ball joints to provide universal flexibility of the support. This support is made up of a plurality of individual hollow segments, each segment shaft having a male ball at one end that is received by an adjacent segment'"'"'s female socket. The socket is sized to fit snugly over the received ball. A spring-detent arrangement within the segment shaft acts against a receiving hole at the top of the corresponding ball. The spring-detent allows the ball joint to be “snap returned” to a straight, axially aligned arrangement. The spring-detent also provides greater joint stability over a longer length of assembled support, without compromising useful flexibility of the support. A radial compression device around the segment socket maintains appropriate joint tightness and compensates for joint wear. The segment shafts are manufactured of varied lengths to accommodate differing flexibility needs of the assembled support, depending on its intended use. The support can be free standing or made part of, or integrated into another system.

Claims

1. A support assembly having a plurality of tubular segments, each segment comprising:

a shaft extending along a central axis;

a hollow male ball portion at one end of said shaft;

a hollow female socket portion at the other end of said shaft;

wherein, said male ball portion is adapted for frictional embracement by a female socket portion of another tubular segment thereby forming a joint; and

said shaft contains a compression spring-loaded detent plunger mechanism that provides a positive positioning bias of said support assembly toward a true axially straight alignment.

2. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein said detent plunger mechanism provides rigidity to said support assembly when said support assembly is in an axially straight alignment thus extending the useful length of said support assembly.

3. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the frictional embracement of said female socket is augmented by an adjustable radial compression device that provides for a tighter embracement and compensates for frictional losses due to wear of said joint from use;

and

wherein longitudinal relief cuts are provided in the female socket portion so as to work in conjunction with the radial compression device.

4. The support assembly of claim 3, wherein said radial compression device has varying tensions to accommodate differing end use loads on said support assembly.

5. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein said shafts are in varying lengths so as to provide a variety of effective bending radiuses of said support assembly as required by the end use of said assembly.

6. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is made decorative either during or after manufacture.

7. A flexible segmented support for holding an item such as a light, a tool, made of multiple hollow segments, each segment comprising:

a male end with a hole therein;

a female end for frictionally accepting said male end and thereby forming a joint; and

a shaft that connects the male end to the female end wherein, the shaft includes a detent plunger mechanism located at the female end of the shaft, the plunger mechanism being able to engage the hole of a conjoining male segment.

8. The segmented support of claim 7, wherein the female end comprises a radial compression device for increasing and maintaining the friction within the joint.

9. The segmented support of claim 8, wherein:

tension created by the radial compression device is adjustable; and

the female end includes longitudinal cuts that assist in adjusting the tension.

10. The segmented support of claim 7, wherein each segment has the ability to non-permanently snap to center so as to form a straight alignment of segments.

11. The segmented support of claim 7, wherein the hollow segments have varying lengths and provide for passage of an electrical cord or liquid conduit even when the segments are bent to their maximum position.

12. A method of providing a support for an item, such as a lamp or tool, with a flexible hollow segmented support, the method comprising the steps of:

joining one or more hollow segments together to form a joint, each segment having a male end, a female end, and a shaft connecting the male and the female ends, wherein the male end of one segment is frictionally embraced by the female end of a second segment;

providing a radial compression device around the outside of the female ends so that additional friction is adjustably added to the friction in the joint; and

providing a detent plunger mechanism in each shaft so that a spring loaded plunger in the female end non-permanently engages a hole in the male end when the segments are brought toward an axially straight alignment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the hollow segments are provided in varying lengths.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

providing a base at one end of the support, so that the support may be free standing; and

,

providing an attachment device such as a clasp at the opposite end of the support so as to hold the item.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

making the support decorative either during or after manufacture.